Writer and playwright Zorko Simčič was born on November 19, 2021 in Maribor, where his parents, who were refugees from the Primorje region, settled after several intermediate stops. As a refugee from Styria, he completed his teacher training in Ljubljana during World War II, enrolled at the Faculty of Arts and began publishing prose works. For his first novel Awakening, ki ga je začel pisati že v dijaških letih, je leta 1944 prejel Prešernovo nagrado mesta Ljubljane. Simčiča so viharji druge svetovne vojne in nemirnega povojnega obdobja preko avstrijske Koroške in Italije nazadnje ponesli v Argentino, kjer je živel vse do prvih let slovenske samostojnosti, ko se je dokončno vrnil v domovino. V letih 1945-1991 so Simčičeva dela lahko izhajala le zunaj Slovenije. Témo tujstva, ki ga srečamo že v
Prebujenju, je razvijal tudi v romanu A man on both sides of the wall (1957), which deals with, among other things, refugeeism. The work, which is now considered a classic of Slovenian literature, can be compared in both form and content with the most important achievements of contemporary world literature. Simčič also deals with refugeeism in his last and most extensive novel. The last ten brothers (2012) are considered Simčič's life's work and were in the making for several decades.
After independence, the author received the Prešeren Fund Award (1993), the Prešeren Award (2013), and many other recognitions and awards.
Brez dvoma je najpomembnejši in najodmevnejši del Simčičevega ustvarjanja proza. Vzporedno s proznimi deli pa je ves čas pisal tudi dramatic works. Spomladi 1945 so v ljubljanski Drami začeli pripravljati uprizoritev njegove drame The last chord. Preparations were interrupted due to dramatic historical events. Later, the author established himself mainly with dramas. Baptism near Savica (1953), Such a long month of August (written in the 1950s, published in 1992) and Early youth (1967), which was also inspired by material from the Second World War. It was first performed at the Slovenian Theatre in Toronto (1970). The last two plays were also published under the joint title The abyss calls the abyss (2001). Dramatic mystery Early youth, which, according to literary historians, represents the pinnacle of Simčič's dramatic writing and one of the most important achievements of contemporary Slovenian drama, was, like Baptism near Savica, repeatedly published and reprinted.
Zorko Simčič was the editor of a cultural magazine in Argentina for twelve years. IntervalWe also keep a few volumes of this newspaper in our library.
Ob stoletnici avtorjevega rojstva v Slovenskem gledališkem inštitutu razstavljamo knjižne izdaje dramskih besedil in gradivo, ki obravnava Simčičevo ustvarjanje >> Dramska dela Zorka Simčiča >>.
Fotografija Zbornika Prešernovega sklada 2013.
